bims-mitdis 2022-04-03 papers

bims-mitdis

Biomed News

on Mitochondrial disorders

Issue of 2022‒04‒03
38 papers selected by
Catalina Vasilescu
University of Helsinki

Proteomic profiling shows mitochondrial nucleoids are autophagy cargo in neurons: implications for neuron maintenance and neurodegenerative disease.
Starting the engine of the powerhouse: mitochondrial transcription and beyond.
An In Vitro Approach to Study Mitochondrial Dysfunction: A Cybrid Model.
Neuropathic Pain as Main Manifestation of POLG-Related Disease: A Case Report.
Benchmarking the Effectiveness and Accuracy of Multiple Mitochondrial DNA Variant Callers: Practical Implications for Clinical Application.
Analysis of Mitochondrial Dysfunction by Microplate Reader in hiPSC-Derived Neuronal Cell Models of Neurodegenerative Disorders.
Mitochondrial Protein Translocation Machinery: From TOM Structural Biogenesis to Functional Regulation.
Mitochondrial DNA replication and repair defects: Clinical phenotypes and therapeutic interventions.
Transient changes to metabolic homeostasis initiate mitochondrial adaptation to endurance exercise.
S1P defects cause a new entity of cataract, alopecia, oral mucosal disorder, and psoriasis-like syndrome.
Heteroplasmic mitochondrial DNA variants in cardiovascular diseases.
Inositol hexakisphosphate kinase-2 non-catalytically regulates mitophagy by attenuating PINK1 signaling.
A novel TRMT5 mutation causes a complex inherited neuropathy syndrome: the role of nerve pathology in defining a demyelinating neuropathy.
Photocontrollable Probes for Mitochondrial Protein Profiling.
Hyperphosphorylated Human Tau Accumulates at the Synapse, Localizing on Synaptic Mitochondrial Outer Membranes and Disrupting Respiration in a Mouse Model of Tauopathy.
Mechanisms underlying ubiquitin-driven selective mitochondrial and bacterial autophagy.
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON): a potential therapeutic approach for future.
Molecular basis for human mitochondrial tRNA m3C modification by alternatively spliced METTL8.
Mitochondrial ROS signalling requires uninterrupted electron flow and is lost during ageing in flies.
Scinderin promotes fusion of electron transport chain dysfunctional muscle stem cells with myofibers.
Enhanced NCLX-dependent mitochondrial Ca2+ efflux attenuates pathological remodeling in heart failure.
BAX and BAK dynamics control mitochondrial DNA release during apoptosis.
PTIP governs NAD+ metabolism by regulating CD38 expression to drive macrophage inflammation.
Oxygen sensing: Protein degradation meets retrograde signaling.
Advances in understanding the molecular basis of clonal hematopoiesis.
Newborn Screening for Mitochondrial Carnitine-Acylcarnitine Cycle Disorders in Zhejiang Province, China.
Gut microbiota production of trimethyl-5-aminovaleric acid reduces fatty acid oxidation and accelerates cardiac hypertrophy.
Mitochondrial Quality Control: the Role in Cardiac Injury.
Regulatory networks controlling mitochondrial quality control in skeletal muscle.
The synthesis and properties of mitochondrial targeted iron chelators.
Mitochondria-actin cytoskeleton crosstalk in cell migration.
Rewiring mitochondrial metabolism to counteract exhaustion of CAR-T cells.
Genome-wide association studies of metabolites in Finnish men identify disease-relevant loci.
Accelerated identification of disease-causing variants with ultra-rapid nanopore genome sequencing.
Discrete Logic Modeling of Cell Signaling Pathways.
Organelle transporters and inter-organelle communication as drivers of metabolic regulation and cellular homeostasis.
Rules all PIs should follow.
Editorial: Metabolism and Epigenetics.

Autophagy. 2022 Mar 29. 1-3

Proteomic profiling shows mitochondrial nucleoids are autophagy cargo in neurons: implications for neuron maintenance and neurodegenerative disease.

Juliet Goldsmith, Erika L F Holzbaur.

  Neurons depend on macroautophagy/autophagy to maintain cellular homeostasis, and loss of autophagy leads to neurodegeneration. To better understand the role of basal autophagy in neurons, we enriched autophagic vesicles from healthy adult mouse brain and performed mass spectrometry to identify cargos cleared by autophagy. We found that synaptic and mitochondrial proteins comprise nearly half of the unique AV cargos identified in brain. Similarly, synaptic and mitochondrial proteins are major cargos for basal autophagy in neurons. Strikingly, we noted a specific enrichment of mitochondrial nucleoids within neuronal autophagosomes, which occurs through a mechanism distinct from damage-associated mitophagy. Here, we discuss the implications of these findings for our understanding of homeostatic mechanisms in neurons and how the age-dependent decline of autophagy in neurons may contribute to the onset or progression of neurodegenerative disease.

Keywords:  DNM1L; SYN1; TFAM; macroautophagy; mitochondria; mitochondrial division; mitochondrial nucleoids; mitophagy; neurodegeneration; neuronal homeostasis

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1080/15548627.2022.2056865
Biol Chem. 2022 Mar 31.

Starting the engine of the powerhouse: mitochondrial transcription and beyond.

Maria Miranda, Nina A Bonekamp, Inge Kühl.

  Mitochondria are central hubs for cellular metabolism, coordinating a variety of metabolic reactions crucial for human health. Mitochondria provide most of the cellular energy via their oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) system, which requires the coordinated expression of genes encoded by both the nuclear (nDNA) and mitochondrial genomes (mtDNA). Transcription of mtDNA is not only essential for the biogenesis of the OXPHOS system, but also generates RNA primers necessary to initiate mtDNA replication. Like the prokaryotic system, mitochondria have no membrane-based compartmentalization to separate the different steps of mtDNA maintenance and expression and depend entirely on nDNA-encoded factors imported into the organelle. Our understanding of mitochondrial transcription in mammalian cells has largely progressed, but the mechanisms regulating mtDNA gene expression are still poorly understood despite their profound importance for human disease. Here, we review mechanisms of mitochondrial gene expression with a focus on the recent findings in the field of mammalian mtDNA transcription and disease phenotypes caused by defects in proteins involved in this process.

Keywords:   inhibitor of mitochondrial transcription; PPR proteins; mitochondria; mitochondrial disease; mitochondrial gene expression; mitochondrial transcription

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1515/hsz-2021-0416
J Vis Exp. 2022 Mar 09.

An In Vitro Approach to Study Mitochondrial Dysfunction: A Cybrid Model.

Andrea Cavaliere, Silvia Marchet, Ivano Di Meo, Valeria Tiranti.

Deficiency of the mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes that carry out oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) is the biochemical marker of human mitochondrial disorders. From a genetic point of view, the OXPHOS represents a unique example because it results from the complementation of two distinct genetic systems: nuclear DNA (nDNA) and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). Therefore, OXPHOS defects can be due to mutations affecting nuclear and mitochondrial encoded genes. The groundbreaking work by King and Attardi, published in 1989, showed that human cell lines depleted of mtDNA (named rho0) could be repopulated by exogenous mitochondria to obtain the so-called "transmitochondrial cybrids." Thanks to these cybrids containing mitochondria derived from patients with mitochondrial disorders (MDs) and nuclei from rho0 cells, it is possible to verify whether a defect is mtDNA- or nDNA-related. These cybrids are also a powerful tool to validate the pathogenicity of a mutation and study its impact at a biochemical level. This paper presents a detailed protocol describing cybrid generation, selection, and characterization.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3791/63452
Front Neurol. 2022 ;13 846110

Neuropathic Pain as Main Manifestation of POLG-Related Disease: A Case Report.

Melanie Lang-Orsini, Paloma Gonzalez-Perez.

  Mutations in nuclear-encoded genes that are involved in mitochondrial DNA replication and maintenance (e.g., POLG) have been associated with chronic progressive external ophthalmoplegia (CPEO) phenotype. These nuclear genome mutations may lead to multiple mitochondrial DNA deletions or mitochondrial DNA depletion. On the other hand, primary genetic defects of mitochondrial DNA (such as single large-scale deletion or point mutations) have also been associated with the CPEO phenotype. Chronic progressive external ophthalmoplegia (CPEO) may be a manifestation of specific syndromes that, when clinically recognized, prompt clinicians to investigate specific genetic defects. Thus, CPEO, as part of Kearns Sayre syndrome, suggests the presence of a large-scale deletion of mitochondrial DNA. However, in pure CPEO or CPEO plus phenotypes, it is more difficult to know whether causative genetic defects affect the nuclear or mitochondrial DNA. Here, we present a patient with a long-standing history of CPEO plus phenotype, in whom the sequencing of mitochondrial DNA from skeletal muscle was normal, and no other genetic defect was suspected at first. At the time of our evaluation, the presence of polyneuropathy and neuropathic pain prompted us to investigate nuclear genetic defects and, specifically, mutations in the POLG gene. Thus, the sequencing of the POLG gene revealed p.Thr251Ile and p.Pro587Leu mutations in one allele, and p.Ala467Thr mutation in another allele. Although one would expect that mutations in POLG lead to multiple mitochondrial DNA deletions or depletion (loss of copies), the absence of mitochondrial DNA abnormalities in tissue may be explained by heteroplasmy, a lack or no significant involvement of biopsied tissue, or a sampling bias. So, the absence of secondary mitochondrial DNA alterations should not discourage clinicians from further investigating mutations in nuclear-encoded genes. Lastly, mitochondrial point mutations and single mitochondrial DNA deletions very rarely cause CPEO associated with polyneuropathy and neuropathic pain, and POLG-related disease should be considered in this scenario, instead.

Keywords:  CPEO; POLG; mitochondrial disease; neuropathic pain; polyneuropathy

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2022.846110
Front Genet. 2022 ;13 692257

Benchmarking the Effectiveness and Accuracy of Multiple Mitochondrial DNA Variant Callers: Practical Implications for Clinical Application.

Eddie K K Ip, Michael Troup, Colin Xu, David S Winlaw, Sally L Dunwoodie, Eleni Giannoulatou.

  Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations contribute to human disease across a range of severity, from rare, highly penetrant mutations causal for monogenic disorders to mutations with milder contributions to phenotypes. mtDNA variation can exist in all copies of mtDNA or in a percentage of mtDNA copies and can be detected with levels as low as 1%. The large number of copies of mtDNA and the possibility of multiple alternative alleles at the same DNA nucleotide position make the task of identifying allelic variation in mtDNA very challenging. In recent years, specialized variant calling algorithms have been developed that are tailored to identify mtDNA variation from whole-genome sequencing (WGS) data. However, very few studies have systematically evaluated and compared these methods for the detection of both homoplasmy and heteroplasmy. A publicly available synthetic gold standard dataset was used to assess four mtDNA variant callers (Mutserve, mitoCaller, MitoSeek, and MToolBox), and the commonly used Genome Analysis Toolkit "best practices" pipeline, which is included in most current WGS pipelines. We also used WGS data from 126 trios and calculated the percentage of maternally inherited variants as a metric of calling accuracy, especially for homoplasmic variants. We additionally compared multiple pathogenicity prediction resources for mtDNA variants. Although the accuracy of homoplasmic variant detection was high for the majority of the callers with high concordance across callers, we found a very low concordance rate between mtDNA variant callers for heteroplasmic variants ranging from 2.8% to 3.6%, for heteroplasmy thresholds of 5% and 1%. Overall, Mutserve showed the best performance using the synthetic benchmark dataset. The analysis of mtDNA pathogenicity resources also showed low concordance in prediction results. We have shown that while homoplasmic variant calling is consistent between callers, there remains a significant discrepancy in heteroplasmic variant calling. We found that resources like population frequency databases and pathogenicity predictors are now available for variant annotation but still need refinement and improvement. With its peculiarities, the mitochondria require special considerations, and we advocate that caution needs to be taken when analyzing mtDNA data from WGS data.

Keywords:  benchmarking; heteroplasmic; homoplasmic; mitochondrial DNA; variant‐caller; whole-genome sequencing

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fgene.2022.692257
Methods Mol Biol. 2022 Mar 29.

Analysis of Mitochondrial Dysfunction by Microplate Reader in hiPSC-Derived Neuronal Cell Models of Neurodegenerative Disorders.

Tatiana R Rosenstock, Congxin Sun, Georgina Wynne Hughes, Katherine Winter, Sovan Sarkar.

  Mitochondria are responsible for many vital pathways governing cellular homeostasis, including cellular energy management, heme biosynthesis, lipid metabolism, cellular proliferation and differentiation, cell cycle regulation, and cellular viability. Electron transport and ADP phosphorylation coupled with proton pumping through the mitochondrial complexes contribute to the preservation of mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm). Importantly, mitochondrial polarization is essential for reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and cytosolic calcium (Ca2+) handling. Thus, changes in mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), ΔΨm, and ATP/ADP may occur in parallel or stimulate each other. Brain cells like neurons are heavily reliant on mitochondrial OXPHOS for its high-energy demands, and hence improper mitochondrial function is detrimental for neuronal survival. Indeed, several neurodegenerative disorders are associated with mitochondrial dysfunction. Modeling this disease-relevant phenotype in neuronal cells differentiated from patient-derived human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) provide an appropriate cellular platform for studying the disease pathology and drug discovery. In this review, we describe high-throughput analysis of crucial parameters related to mitochondrial function in hiPSC-derived neurons. These methodologies include measurement of ΔΨm, intracellular Ca2+, oxidative stress, and ATP/ADP levels using fluorescence probes via a microplate reader. Benefits of such an approach include analysis of mitochondrial parameters on a large population of cells, simultaneous analysis of different cell lines and experimental conditions, and for drug screening to identify compounds restoring mitochondrial function.

Keywords:  Fluorescent dyes; Human induced pluripotent stem cells; Microplate reader; Mitochondria; Mitochondrial calcium; Mitochondrial dysfunction; Mitochondrial membrane potential; Mitochondrial superoxide; Neurodegenerative disease; Neuronal differentiation; Reactive oxygen species; hiPSC-derived neurons

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/7651_2021_451
J Biol Chem. 2022 Mar 25. pii: S0021-9258(22)00310-6. [Epub ahead of print] 101870

Mitochondrial Protein Translocation Machinery: From TOM Structural Biogenesis to Functional Regulation.

Ulfat Mohd Hanif Sayyed, Radhakrishnan Mahalakshmi.

  The human mitochondrial outer membrane is biophysically unique as it is the only membrane possessing transmembrane β-barrel proteins (mitochondrial outer membrane proteins, mOMPs) in the cell. The most vital of the three mOMPs is the core protein of the translocase of the outer mitochondrial membrane (TOM) complex. Identified first as MOM38 in Neurospora in 1990, the structure of Tom40, the core 19-stranded β-barrel translocation channel, was solved in 2017, after nearly three decades. Remarkably, the past four years have witnessed an exponential increase in structural and functional studies of yeast and human TOM complexes. In addition to being conserved across all eukaryotes, the TOM complex is the sole ATP-independent import machinery for nearly all of the ∼1000-1500 known mitochondrial proteins. Recent cryo-EM structures have provided detailed insight into both possible assembly mechanisms of the TOM core complex and organizational dynamics of the import machinery, and now reveal novel regulatory interplay with other mOMPs. Functional characterization of the TOM complex using biochemical and structural approaches has also revealed mechanisms for substrate recognition and at least five defined import pathways for precursor proteins. In this review, we discuss the discovery, recently solved structures, molecular function, and regulation of the TOM complex and its constituents, along with the implications these advances have for human diseases.

Keywords:  TOM complex; Tom40; dysregulation; mitochondrial outer membrane; protein import pathways; transmembrane β-barrels

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbc.2022.101870
Biochim Biophys Acta Bioenerg. 2022 Mar 24. pii: S0005-2728(22)00023-8. [Epub ahead of print]1863(5): 148554

Mitochondrial DNA replication and repair defects: Clinical phenotypes and therapeutic interventions.

Abhipsa Roy, Amoolya Kandettu, Swagat Ray, Sanjiban Chakrabarty.

  Mitochondria is a unique cellular organelle involved in multiple cellular processes and is critical for maintaining cellular homeostasis. This semi-autonomous organelle contains its circular genome - mtDNA (mitochondrial DNA), that undergoes continuous cycles of replication and repair to maintain the mitochondrial genome integrity. The majority of the mitochondrial genes, including mitochondrial replisome and repair genes, are nuclear-encoded. Although the repair machinery of mitochondria is quite efficient, the mitochondrial genome is highly susceptible to oxidative damage and other types of exogenous and endogenous agent-induced DNA damage, due to the absence of protective histones and their proximity to the main ROS production sites. Mutations in replication and repair genes of mitochondria can result in mtDNA depletion and deletions subsequently leading to mitochondrial genome instability. The combined action of mutations and deletions can result in compromised mitochondrial genome maintenance and lead to various mitochondrial disorders. Here, we review the mechanism of mitochondrial DNA replication and repair process, key proteins involved, and their altered function in mitochondrial disorders. The focus of this review will be on the key genes of mitochondrial DNA replication and repair machinery and the clinical phenotypes associated with mutations in these genes.

Keywords:  Base-excision repair; CPEO; LIG3; POLG; mtDNA replication

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbabio.2022.148554
Semin Cell Dev Biol. 2022 Mar 26. pii: S1084-9521(22)00096-9. [Epub ahead of print]

Transient changes to metabolic homeostasis initiate mitochondrial adaptation to endurance exercise.

Jessica R Dent, Ben Stocks, Dean G Campelj, Andrew Philp.

  Endurance exercise is well established to increase mitochondrial content and function in skeletal muscle, a process termed mitochondrial biogenesis. Current understanding is that exercise initiates skeletal muscle mitochondrial remodeling via modulation of cellular nutrient, energetic and contractile stress pathways. These subtle changes in the cellular milieu are sensed by numerous transduction pathways that serve to initiate and coordinate an increase in mitochondrial gene transcription and translation. The result of these acute signaling events is the promotion of growth and assembly of mitochondria, coupled to a greater capacity for aerobic ATP provision in skeletal muscle. The aim of this review is to highlight the acute metabolic events induced by endurance exercise and the subsequent molecular pathways that sense this transient change in cellular homeostasis to drive mitochondrial adaptation and remodeling.

Keywords:  Adaptation; Exercise; Metabolism; Mitochondria

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.semcdb.2022.03.022
EMBO Mol Med. 2022 Apr 01. e14904

S1P defects cause a new entity of cataract, alopecia, oral mucosal disorder, and psoriasis-like syndrome.

Fuying Chen, Cheng Ni, Xiaoxiao Wang, Ruhong Cheng, Chaolan Pan, Yumeng Wang, Jianying Liang, Jia Zhang, Jinke Cheng, Y Eugene Chin, Yi Zhou, Zhen Wang, Yiran Guo, She Chen, Stephanie Htun, Erin F Mathes, Alejandra G de Alba Campomanes, Anne M Slavotinek, Si Zhang, Ming Li, Zhirong Yao.

  In this report, we discovered a new entity named cataract, alopecia, oral mucosal disorder, and psoriasis-like (CAOP) syndrome in two unrelated and ethnically diverse patients. Furthermore, patient 1 failed to respond to regular treatment. We found that CAOP syndrome was caused by an autosomal recessive defect in the mitochondrial membrane-bound transcription factor peptidase/site-1 protease (MBTPS1, S1P). Mitochondrial abnormalities were observed in patient 1 with CAOP syndrome. Furthermore, we found that S1P is a novel mitochondrial protein that forms a trimeric complex with ETFA/ETFB. S1P enhances ETFA/ETFB flavination and maintains its stability. Patient S1P variants destabilize ETFA/ETFB, impair mitochondrial respiration, decrease fatty acid β-oxidation activity, and shift mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) to glycolysis. Mitochondrial dysfunction and inflammatory lesions in patient 1 were significantly ameliorated by riboflavin supplementation, which restored the stability of ETFA/ETFB. Our study discovered that mutations in MBTPS1 resulted in a new entity of CAOP syndrome and elucidated the mechanism of the mutations in the new disease.

Keywords:  CAOP; MBTPS1; electron transfer flavoprotein; mitochondrial respiratory chain reaction

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.15252/emmm.202114904
PLoS Genet. 2022 Apr 01. 18(4): e1010068

Heteroplasmic mitochondrial DNA variants in cardiovascular diseases.

Claudia Calabrese, Angela Pyle, Helen Griffin, Jonathan Coxhead, Rafiqul Hussain, Peter S Braund, Linxin Li, Annette Burgess, Patricia B Munroe, Louis Little, Helen R Warren, Claudia Cabrera, Alistair Hall, Mark J Caulfield, Peter M Rothwell, Nilesh J Samani, Gavin Hudson, Patrick F Chinnery.

Mitochondria are implicated in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) but the reasons for this are not well understood. Maternally-inherited population variants of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) which affect all mtDNA molecules (homoplasmic) are associated with cardiometabolic traits and the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. However, it is not known whether mtDNA mutations only affecting a proportion of mtDNA molecules (heteroplasmic) also play a role. To address this question, we performed a high-depth (~1000-fold) mtDNA sequencing of blood DNA in 1,399 individuals with hypertension (HTN), 1,946 with ischemic heart disease (IHD), 2,146 with ischemic stroke (IS), and 723 healthy controls. We show that the per individual burden of heteroplasmic single nucleotide variants (mtSNVs) increases with age. The age-effect was stronger for low-level heteroplasmies (heteroplasmic fraction, HF, 5-10%), likely reflecting acquired somatic events based on trinucleotide mutational signatures. After correcting for age and other confounders, intermediate heteroplasmies (HF 10-95%) were more common in hypertension, particularly involving non-synonymous variants altering the amino acid sequence of essential respiratory chain proteins. These findings raise the possibility that heteroplasmic mtSNVs in the pathophysiology of hypertension.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.1010068
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2022 Apr 05. 119(14): e2121946119

Inositol hexakisphosphate kinase-2 non-catalytically regulates mitophagy by attenuating PINK1 signaling.

Latika Nagpal, Michael D Kornberg, Solomon H Snyder.

  SignificanceInositol pyrophosphates are versatile messenger molecules containing the energetic pyrophosphate bond. One of the principal enzymes generating the inositol pyrophosphate IP7 (5-diphosphoinositolpentakisphosphate) is inositol hexakisphosphate kinase 2 (IP6K2). Previous work has shown that IP6K2 is neuroprotective and maintains mitochondrial respiration. We now report that loss of IP6K2 leads to increased mitochondrial fission and mitophagy. Regulation of mitochondrial dynamics by IP6K2 depends on the protein PINK1 and, interestingly, is independent of IP6K2 enzymatic activity. These findings provide mechanistic insight into the regulation of mitochondrial function by IP6K2, which has implications for neuroprotection and mitochondrial physiology more generally.

Keywords:  PINK1; inositol phosphate; mitochondrial biogenesis; mitophagy; neuroprotection

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2121946119
Neuropathol Appl Neurobiol. 2022 Mar 27. e12817

A novel TRMT5 mutation causes a complex inherited neuropathy syndrome: the role of nerve pathology in defining a demyelinating neuropathy.

Herminia Argente-Escrig, Juan Jesus Vílchez, Marina Frasquet, Nuria Muelas, Inmaculada Azorín, Roger Vílchez, Elvira Millet-Sancho, Inmaculada Pitarch, Miguel Tomás-Vila, Juan F Vázquez-Costa, Fernando Mas-Estellés, Clara Marco-Marín, Carmen Espinós, Pablo Serrano-Lorenzo, Miguel A Martin, Vincenzo Lupo, Teresa Sevilla.

AIMS: To present data obtained from three patients belonging to three unrelated families with an infantile onset demyelinating neuropathy associated to somatic and neurodevelopmental delay, and to describe the underlying genetic changes.METHODS: We performed whole-exome sequencing on genomic DNA from the patients and their parents, and reviewed the clinical, muscle and nerve data, the serial neurophysiological studies, brain, and muscle MRIs, as well as the respiratory chain complex activity in the muscle of the three index patients. Computer modelling was used to characterize the new missense variant detected.
RESULTS: All three patients had a short stature, delayed motor milestone acquisition, intellectual disability and cerebellar abnormalities associated with a severe demyelinating neuropathy, with distinct morphological features. Despite the proliferation of giant mitochondria, the mitochondrial respiratory chain complex activity in skeletal muscle was normal, except in one patient in whom there was a mild decrease in complex I enzyme activity. All three patients carried the same two compound heterozygous variants of the TRMT5 (tRNA Methyltransferase 5) gene, one known pathogenic frameshift mutation [c.312_315del (p.Ile105Serfs*4)] and a second rare missense change [c.665T>C (p.Ile222Thr)]. TRMT5 is a nuclear-encoded protein involved in the post-transcriptional maturation of mitochondrial tRNA. Computer modelling of the human TRMT5 protein structure suggests that the rare p.Ile222Thr mutation could affect the stability of tRNA binding.
CONCLUSIONS: Our study expands the phenotype of mitochondrial disorders caused by TRTM5 mutations and defines a new form of recessive demyelinating peripheral neuropathy.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/nan.12817
Chembiochem. 2022 Mar 28.

Photocontrollable Probes for Mitochondrial Protein Profiling.

Shuhong Guo, Chaonan Yuan, Wenjie Lang, Danqi Hong, Jian Liu, Jintao Huang, Jia Dong, Jingyan Ge.

  Mitochondrion is the core site of cell signaling, energy metabolism and biosynthesis. Here, taking advantage of activitybased probes, we synthesized two photocontrollable probes ( YGH-1 and YGH-2 ), composed of a mitochondrial localization moiety "triphenylphosphonium", a photo triggered group to achieve spatial and temporal controlled protein capture and an alkyne group to enrich the labeled protein. Proteomic validation was further carried out to facilitate identifications of mitochondrial proteomes in HeLa cells. The results showed that half of identified protein hits (~300) labeled by probes YGH-1 and YGH-2 belong to mitochondria, mostly localizing in mitochondrial matrix and inner mitochondrial membrane. Our research results provide a new tool for spatial and temporal analysis of subcellular proteome.

Keywords:  mitochondrial proteome; photocontrollable; photocross linker; quinone methide

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1002/cbic.202200066
Front Mol Neurosci. 2022 ;15 852368

Hyperphosphorylated Human Tau Accumulates at the Synapse, Localizing on Synaptic Mitochondrial Outer Membranes and Disrupting Respiration in a Mouse Model of Tauopathy.

Andrew J Trease, Joseph W George, Nashanthea J Roland, Eliezer Z Lichter, Katy Emanuel, Steven Totusek, Howard S Fox, Kelly L Stauch.

  Neurogenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), represent a growing public health challenge in aging societies. Tauopathies, a subset of neurodegenerative disorders that includes AD, are characterized by accumulation of fibrillar and hyperphosphorylated forms of microtubule-associated protein tau with coincident mitochondrial abnormalities and neuronal dysfunction. Although, in vitro, tau impairs axonal transport altering mitochondrial distribution, clear in vivo mechanisms associating tau and mitochondrial dysfunction remain obscure. Herein, we investigated the effects of human tau on brain mitochondria in vivo using transgenic htau mice at ages preceding and coinciding with onset of tauopathy. Subcellular proteomics combined with bioenergetic assessment revealed pathologic forms of tau preferentially associate with synaptic over non-synaptic mitochondria coinciding with changes in bioenergetics, reminiscent of an aged synaptic mitochondrial phenotype in wild-type mice. While mitochondrial content was unaltered, mitochondrial maximal respiration was impaired in synaptosomes from htau mice. Further, mitochondria-associated tau was determined to be outer membrane-associated using the trypsin protection assay and carbonate extraction. These findings reveal non-mutant human tau accumulation at the synapse has deleterious effects on mitochondria, which likely contributes to synaptic dysfunction observed in the context of tauopathy.

Keywords:  Alzheimer’s disease; aging; bioenergetics; phosphorylation; proteomics; synaptic mitochondria; tau; tauopathy

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fnmol.2022.852368
Mol Cell. 2022 Mar 29. pii: S1097-2765(22)00221-0. [Epub ahead of print]

Mechanisms underlying ubiquitin-driven selective mitochondrial and bacterial autophagy.

Ellen A Goodall, Felix Kraus, J Wade Harper.

  Selective autophagy specifically eliminates damaged or superfluous organelles, maintaining cellular health. In this process, a double membrane structure termed an autophagosome captures target organelles or proteins and delivers this cargo to the lysosome for degradation. The attachment of the small protein ubiquitin to cargo has emerged as a common mechanism for initiating organelle or protein capture by the autophagy machinery. In this process, a suite of ubiquitin-binding cargo receptors function to initiate autophagosome assembly in situ on the target cargo, thereby providing selectivity in cargo capture. Here, we review recent efforts to understand the biochemical mechanisms and principles by which cargo are marked with ubiquitin and how ubiquitin-binding cargo receptors use conserved structural modules to recruit the autophagosome initiation machinery, with a particular focus on mitochondria and intracellular bacteria as cargo. These emerging mechanisms provide answers to long-standing questions in the field concerning how selectivity in cargo degradation is achieved.

Keywords:  cargo receptor; mitophagy; selective autophagy; ubiquitin; xenophagy

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molcel.2022.03.012
Int Ophthalmol. 2022 Mar 31.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON): a potential therapeutic approach for future.

Mohana Devi Subramaniam, Ruth Bright Chirayath, Mahalaxmi Iyer, Aswathy P Nair, Balachandar Vellingiri.

  BACKGROUND: Optic neuropathy has become a new typical syndromic multi-system disease that leads to optic atrophy. This review discusses potential treatments and advances of Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON), a sporadic genetic disorder. LHON is caused due to slight mutations in mitochondria leading to mitochondrial dysfunction, causing vision loss. There are no current significant treatments that have been proven to work for LHON.METHODS: However, extensive review was carried out on capable studies that have shown potential treatment sensory systems and are being evaluated currently. Some of these studies are in clinical trials, whereas other ones are still being planned. Here, we focus more on treatment based on mesenchymal stem cells-mediated mitochondrial transfer via various techniques. We discuss different mitochondrial transfer modes and possible ways to understand the mitochondria transfer technique's phenotypic characteristics.
CONCLUSION: It is clearly understood that transfer of healthy mitochondria from MSC to target cell would regulate the range of reactive oxygen species and ATP'S, which are majorly responsible for mutation upon irregulating. Therefore, mitochondrial transfer is suggested and discussed in this review with various aspects. The graphical abstract represents different means of mitochondrial transport like (a) Tunnelling nanotubules, (b) Extracellular vesicles, (c) Cell fusion and (d) Gap junctions. In (a) Tunnelling nanotubules, the signalling pathways TNF- α/TNF αip2 and NFkB/TNF αep2 are responsible for forming tunnels. Also, Miro protein acts as cargo for the transport of mitochondria with myosin's help in the presence of RhoGTPases [35]. In (b) Extracellular vesicles, the RhoA ARF6 contributes to Actin/Cytoskeletal rearrangement leading to the shedding of microvesicles. Coming to (c) Cell fusion when there is a high amount of ATP, the cells tend to fuse when in close proximity leading to the transfer of mitochondria via EFF-1/HAP2 [48]. In (d) Gap Junctions, Connexin43 is responsible for the intracellular channel in the presence of more ATP [86].

Keywords:  Gene therapy; Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy; Mesenchymal stem cells; Micro-vesicles-mediated transfer; Mitochondrial transfer; Tunnelling nanotubes

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/s10792-022-02267-9
Nucleic Acids Res. 2022 Mar 31. pii: gkac184. [Epub ahead of print]

Molecular basis for human mitochondrial tRNA m3C modification by alternatively spliced METTL8.

Meng-Han Huang, Gui-Xin Peng, Xue-Ling Mao, Jin-Tao Wang, Jing-Bo Zhou, Jian-Hui Zhang, Meirong Chen, En-Duo Wang, Xiao-Long Zhou.

METTL8 has recently been identified as the methyltransferase catalyzing 3-methylcytidine biogenesis at position 32 (m3C32) of mitochondrial tRNAs. METTL8 also potentially participates in mRNA methylation and R-loop biogenesis. How METTL8 plays multiple roles in distinct cell compartments and catalyzes mitochondrial tRNA m3C formation remain unclear. Here, we discovered that alternative mRNA splicing generated several isoforms of METTL8. One isoform (METTL8-Iso1) was targeted to mitochondria via an N-terminal pre-sequence, while another one (METTL8-Iso4) mainly localized to the nucleolus. METTL8-Iso1-mediated m3C32 modification of human mitochondrial tRNAThr (hmtRNAThr) was not reliant on t6A modification at A37 (t6A37), while that of hmtRNASer(UCN) critically depended on i6A modification at A37 (i6A37). We clarified the hmtRNAThr substrate recognition mechanism, which was obviously different from that of hmtRNASer(UCN), in terms of requiring a G35 determinant. Moreover, SARS2 (mitochondrial seryl-tRNA synthetase) interacted with METTL8-Iso1 in an RNA-independent manner and modestly accelerated m3C modification activity. We further elucidated how nonsubstrate tRNAs in human mitochondria were efficiently discriminated by METTL8-Iso1. In summary, our results established the expression pattern of METTL8, clarified the molecular basis for m3C32 modification by METTL8-Iso1 and provided the rationale for the involvement of METTL8 in tRNA modification, mRNA methylation or R-loop biogenesis.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/nar/gkac184
Geroscience. 2022 Mar 30.

Mitochondrial ROS signalling requires uninterrupted electron flow and is lost during ageing in flies.

Charlotte Graham, Rhoda Stefanatos, Angeline E H Yek, Ruth V Spriggs, Samantha H Y Loh, Alejandro Huerta Uribe, Tong Zhang, L Miguel Martins, Oliver D K Maddocks, Filippo Scialo, Alberto Sanz.

  Mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mtROS) are cellular messengers essential for cellular homeostasis. In response to stress, reverse electron transport (RET) through respiratory complex I generates high levels of mtROS. Suppression of ROS production via RET (ROS-RET) reduces survival under stress, while activation of ROS-RET extends lifespan in basal conditions. Here, we demonstrate that ROS-RET signalling requires increased electron entry and uninterrupted electron flow through the electron transport chain (ETC). We find that in old fruit flies, ROS-RET is abolished when electron flux is decreased and that their mitochondria produce consistently high levels of mtROS. Finally, we demonstrate that in young flies, limiting electron exit, but not entry, from the ETC phenocopies mtROS generation observed in old individuals. Our results elucidate the mechanism by which ROS signalling is lost during ageing.

Keywords:  Ageing; Complex I; Complex IV; Drosophila; Mitochondria; Reactive oxygen species; Reverse electron transport

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/s11357-022-00555-x
Nat Aging. 2022 ;2(2): 155-169

Scinderin promotes fusion of electron transport chain dysfunctional muscle stem cells with myofibers.

Xun Wang, Spencer D Shelton, Bogdan Bordieanu, Anderson R Frank, Yating Yi, Siva Sai Krishna Venigalla, Zhimin Gu, Nicholas P Lenser, Michael Glogauer, Navdeep S Chandel, Hu Zhao, Zhiyu Zhao, David G McFadden, Prashant Mishra.

Muscle stem cells (MuSCs) experience age-associated declines in number and function, accompanied by mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) dysfunction and increased reactive oxygen species (ROS). The source of these changes, and how MuSCs respond to mitochondrial dysfunction, is unknown. We report here that in response to mitochondrial ROS, murine MuSCs directly fuse with neighboring myofibers; this phenomenon removes ETC-dysfunctional MuSCs from the stem cell compartment. MuSC-myofiber fusion is dependent on the induction of Scinderin, which promotes formation of actin-dependent protrusions required for membrane fusion. During aging, we find that the declining MuSC population accumulates mutations in the mitochondrial genome, but selects against dysfunctional variants. In the absence of clearance by Scinderin, the decline in MuSC numbers during aging is repressed; however, ETC-dysfunctional MuSCs are retained and can regenerate dysfunctional myofibers. We propose a model in which ETC-dysfunctional MuSCs are removed from the stem cell compartment by fusing with differentiated tissue.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s43587-021-00164-x
J Mol Cell Cardiol. 2022 Mar 28. pii: S0022-2828(22)00037-2. [Epub ahead of print]167 52-66

Enhanced NCLX-dependent mitochondrial Ca2+ efflux attenuates pathological remodeling in heart failure.

Joanne F Garbincius, Timothy S Luongo, Pooja Jadiya, Alycia N Hildebrand, Devin W Kolmetzky, Adam S Mangold, Rajika Roy, Jessica Ibetti, Mary Nwokedi, Walter J Koch, John W Elrod.

  Mitochondrial calcium (mCa2+) uptake couples changes in cardiomyocyte energetic demand to mitochondrial ATP production. However, excessive mCa2+ uptake triggers permeability transition and necrosis. Despite these established roles during acute stress, the involvement of mCa2+ signaling in cardiac adaptations to chronic stress remains poorly defined. Changes in NCLX expression are reported in heart failure (HF) patients and models of cardiac hypertrophy. Therefore, we hypothesized that altered mCa2+ homeostasis contributes to the hypertrophic remodeling of the myocardium that occurs upon a sustained increase in cardiac workload. The impact of mCa2+ flux on cardiac function and remodeling was examined by subjecting mice with cardiomyocyte-specific overexpression (OE) of the mitochondrial Na+/Ca2+ exchanger (NCLX), the primary mediator of mCa2+ efflux, to several well-established models of hypertrophic and non-ischemic HF. Cardiomyocyte NCLX-OE preserved contractile function, prevented hypertrophy and fibrosis, and attenuated maladaptive gene programs in mice subjected to chronic pressure overload. Hypertrophy was attenuated in NCLX-OE mice, prior to any decline in cardiac contractility. NCLX-OE similarly attenuated deleterious cardiac remodeling in mice subjected to chronic neurohormonal stimulation. However, cardiomyocyte NCLX-OE unexpectedly reduced overall survival in mice subjected to severe neurohormonal stress with angiotensin II + phenylephrine. Adenoviral NCLX expression limited mCa2+ accumulation, oxidative metabolism, and de novo protein synthesis during hypertrophic stimulation of cardiomyocytes in vitro. Our findings provide genetic evidence for the contribution of mCa2+ to early pathological remodeling in non-ischemic heart disease, but also highlight a deleterious consequence of increasing mCa2+ efflux when the heart is subjected to extreme, sustained neurohormonal stress.

Keywords:  Calcium; Mitochondria; NCLX; anabolism; heart failure; hypertrophy

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yjmcc.2022.03.001
Cell Death Differ. 2022 Mar 26.

BAX and BAK dynamics control mitochondrial DNA release during apoptosis.

Takahiro Yamazaki, Lorenzo Galluzzi.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41418-022-00985-2
Cell Rep. 2022 Mar 29. pii: S2211-1247(22)00351-5. [Epub ahead of print]38(13): 110603

PTIP governs NAD+ metabolism by regulating CD38 expression to drive macrophage inflammation.

Qifan Wang, Jin Hu, Guoqiang Han, Peipei Wang, Sha Li, Jiwei Chang, Kexin Gao, Rong Yin, Yashu Li, Tong Zhang, Jihua Chai, Zhuying Gao, Tiantian Zhang, Ying Cheng, Chengli Guo, Jing Wang, Weidong Liu, Manman Cui, Yu Xu, Jinxuan Hou, Quan-Fei Zhu, Yu-Qi Feng, Haojian Zhang.

  NAD+ metabolism is involved in many biological processes. However, the underlying mechanism of how NAD+ metabolism is regulated remains elusive. Here, we find that PTIP governs NAD+ metabolism in macrophages by regulating CD38 expression and is required for macrophage inflammation. Through integrating histone modifications with NAD+ metabolic gene expression profiling, we identify PTIP as a key factor in regulating CD38 expression, the primary NAD+-consuming enzyme in macrophages. Interestingly, we find that PTIP deletion impairs the proinflammatory response of primary murine and human macrophages, promotes their metabolic switch from glycolysis to oxidative phosphorylation, and alters NAD+ metabolism via downregulating CD38 expression. Mechanistically, an intronic enhancer of CD38 is identified. PTIP regulates CD38 expression by cooperating with acetyltransferase p300 in establishing the CD38 active enhancer with enriched H3K27ac. Overall, our findings reveal a critical role for PTIP in fine-tuning the inflammatory responses of macrophages via regulating NAD+ metabolism.

Keywords:  CD38; CP: Immunology; CP: Metabolism; NAD(+); PTIP; inflammation; macrophage

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110603
Curr Biol. 2022 Mar 28. pii: S0960-9822(22)00280-9. [Epub ahead of print]32(6): R281-R284

Oxygen sensing: Protein degradation meets retrograde signaling.

Nico Dissmeyer.

A new study shows that mitochondrial retrograde signaling relies on strongly compartmentalized individual pathways previously not taken into account. This involves a link between mitochondrial oxygen consumption and cytosolic oxygen sensing via the N-degron pathway.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2022.02.047
Trends Mol Med. 2022 Mar 25. pii: S1471-4914(22)00054-5. [Epub ahead of print]

Advances in understanding the molecular basis of clonal hematopoiesis.

David A Alagpulinsa, Mabel P Toribio, Iad Alhallak, Robert J Shmookler Reis.

  Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are polyfunctional, regenerating all blood cells via hematopoiesis throughout life. Clonal hematopoiesis (CH) is said to occur when a substantial proportion of mature blood cells is derived from a single dominant HSC lineage, usually because these HSCs have somatic mutations that confer a fitness and expansion advantage. CH strongly associates with aging and enrichment in some diseases irrespective of age, emerging as an independent causal risk factor for hematologic malignancies, cardiovascular disease, adverse disease outcomes, and all-cause mortality. Defining the molecular mechanisms underlying CH will thus provide a framework to develop interventions for healthy aging and disease treatment. Here, we review the most recent advances in understanding the molecular basis of CH in health and disease.

Keywords:  DNA damage; aging; cardiovascular disease; clonal hematopoiesis; hematopoietic stem cells; inflammation; leukemia; mutations

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molmed.2022.03.002
Front Genet. 2022 ;13 823687

Newborn Screening for Mitochondrial Carnitine-Acylcarnitine Cycle Disorders in Zhejiang Province, China.

Duo Zhou, Yi Cheng, Xiaoshan Yin, Haixia Miao, Zhenzhen Hu, Jianbin Yang, Yu Zhang, Benqing Wu, Xinwen Huang.

  Background: Disorders of mitochondrial carnitine-acylcarnitine cycle is a heterogeneous group of hereditary diseases of mitochondrial β-oxidation of fatty acids tested in NBS program in Zhejiang province, China. Large-scale studies reporting disorders of mitochondrial carnitine-acylcarnitine cycle among Chinese population in NBS are limited. The aim of this study was to explain the incidence and biochemical, clinical, and genetic characteristics of disorders of mitochondrial carnitine-acylcarnitine cycle in NBS. Methods: From January 2009 to June 2021, 4,070,375 newborns were screened by tandem mass spectrometry. Newborns with elevated C0 levels and/or C0/(C16 + C18) ratios were identified as having CPT1D, whereas those with decreased C0 levels and/or C0/(C16 + C18) ratios and/or elevated C12-C18:1 level were identified as having CPT2D or CACTD. Suspected positive patients were further subjected to genetic analysis. All confirmed patients received biochemical and nutritional treatment, as well as follow-up sessions. Results: Overall, 20 patients (12 with CPT1D, 4 with CPT2D, and 4 with CACTD) with disorders of mitochondrial carnitine-acylcarnitine cycle were diagnosed by NBS. The overall incidence of these disorders was one in 203,518 newborns. In toal, 11 patients with CPT1D exhibited increased C0 levels and C0/(C16 + C18) ratios. In all patients of CPT2D, all long chain acyl-carnitines levels were elevated except for case 14 having normal C12 levels. In all patients with CACTD, all long chain acyl-carnitines levels were elevated except for case 17 having normal C12, C18, and C18:1 levels. Most patients with CPT1D were asymptomatic. Overall, two of 4 patients with CPT2D did not present any clinical symptom, but other two patients died. In 4 cases with CACTD, the disease was onset after birth, and 75% patients died. In total, 14 distinct mutations were identified in CPT1A gene, of which 11 were novel and c.1910C > A (p.S637T), c.740C > T (p.P247L), and c.1328T > C (p.L443P) were the most common mutations. Overall, 3 novel mutations were identified in CPT2 gene, and the most frequent mutation was c.1711C > A (p.P571T). The most common variant in SLC25A20 gene was c.199-10T > G. Conclusion: Disorders of mitochondrial carnitine-acylcarnitine cycle can be detected by NBS, and the combined incidence of these disorders in newborns was rare in Zhejiang province, China. Most patients presented typical acylcarnitine profiles. Most patients with CPT1D presented normal growth and development, whereas those with CPT2D/CACTD exhibited a high mortality rate. Several novel CPT1A and CPT2 variants were identified, which expanded the variant spectrum.

Keywords:  carnitine palmitoyl transferase 2 deficiency; carnitine palmitoyltransferase 2 deficiency; carnitine-acylcarnitine translocase deficiency; mitochondrial carnitine-acylcarnitine cycle disorders; newborn screening

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fgene.2022.823687
Nat Commun. 2022 Apr 01. 13(1): 1757

Gut microbiota production of trimethyl-5-aminovaleric acid reduces fatty acid oxidation and accelerates cardiac hypertrophy.

Mingming Zhao, Haoran Wei, Chenze Li, Rui Zhan, Changjie Liu, Jianing Gao, Yaodong Yi, Xiao Cui, Wenxin Shan, Liang Ji, Bing Pan, Si Cheng, Moshi Song, Haipeng Sun, Huidi Jiang, Jun Cai, Minerva T Garcia-Barrio, Y Eugene Chen, Xiangbao Meng, Erdan Dong, Dao Wen Wang, Lemin Zheng.

Numerous studies found intestinal microbiota alterations which are thought to affect the development of various diseases through the production of gut-derived metabolites. However, the specific metabolites and their pathophysiological contribution to cardiac hypertrophy or heart failure progression still remain unclear. N,N,N-trimethyl-5-aminovaleric acid (TMAVA), derived from trimethyllysine through the gut microbiota, was elevated with gradually increased risk of cardiac mortality and transplantation in a prospective heart failure cohort (n = 1647). TMAVA treatment aggravated cardiac hypertrophy and dysfunction in high-fat diet-fed mice. Decreased fatty acid oxidation (FAO) is a hallmark of metabolic reprogramming in the diseased heart and contributes to impaired myocardial energetics and contractile dysfunction. Proteomics uncovered that TMAVA disturbed cardiac energy metabolism, leading to inhibition of FAO and myocardial lipid accumulation. TMAVA treatment altered mitochondrial ultrastructure, respiration and FAO and inhibited carnitine metabolism. Mice with γ-butyrobetaine hydroxylase (BBOX) deficiency displayed a similar cardiac hypertrophy phenotype, indicating that TMAVA functions through BBOX. Finally, exogenous carnitine supplementation reversed TMAVA induced cardiac hypertrophy. These data suggest that the gut microbiota-derived TMAVA is a key determinant for the development of cardiac hypertrophy through inhibition of carnitine synthesis and subsequent FAO.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-29060-7
Front Biosci (Landmark Ed). 2022 Mar 09. 27(3): 96

Mitochondrial Quality Control: the Role in Cardiac Injury.

Grażyna Sygitowicz, Dariusz Sitkiewicz.

  The heart is a highly energy-dependent organ, and most of its energy is provided by mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation. Therefore, maintaining a well-functioning mitochondrial population is of paramount importance for cardiac homeostasis, since damaged mitochondria produce less adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and generate higher amounts of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Mitochondrial dysfunction is associated with the development of many diseases, including cardiovascular disorders. In this article, we review the role of mitochondria as key determinants of acute myocardial ischemic/reperfusion injury (IRI) and also diabetic cardiomyopathy. The structure and function of mitochondria are regulated by the mitochondrial quality control (MQC) system. Mitochondrial quality control mechanisms involve a series of adaptive responses that preserve mitochondrial structure and function as well as ensure cardiomyocyte survival and cardiac function after injury. This review summarizes the basic mechanisms of MQC, including mitochondrial dynamics (fusion and fission), mitophagy and mitochondrial biogenesis. Mitochondrial dynamics are mainly controlled by the level of fission and fusion proteins and also by their post-translational modifications. In addition, this review aims to provide a contemporary view of the importance of miRNA molecules in the regulation of mitochondrial dynamics at the post-transcriptional level. Thus, miRNAs play an important role not only in the pathogenesis and prognosis of cardiac diseases, but can also be an important therapeutic target.

Keywords:  cardiac injury; fusion and fission; miRNAs; mitochondrial biogenesis; mitochondrial dysfunction; mitophagy

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.31083/j.fbl2703096
Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. 2022 Mar 30.

Regulatory networks controlling mitochondrial quality control in skeletal muscle.

Mikhaela B Slavin, Jonathan M Memme, Ashley N Oliveira, Neushaw Moradi, David A Hood.

The adaptive plasticity of mitochondria within skeletal muscle is regulated by signals converging on a myriad of regulatory networks that operate during conditions of increased (i.e. exercise) and decreased (inactivity, disuse) energy requirements. Notably, some of the initial signals that induce adaptive responses are common to both conditions, differing in their magnitude and temporal pattern, to produce vastly opposing mitochondrial phenotypes. In response to exercise, signaling to PGC-1α and other regulators ultimately produces an abundance of high quality mitochondria, leading to reduced mitophagy and a higher mitochondrial content. This is accompanied by the presence of an enhanced protein quality control system that consists of the protein import machinery as well chaperones and proteases termed the UPRmt. The UPRmt monitors intra-organelle proteostasis, and strives to maintain a mito-nuclear balance between nuclear- and mtDNA-derived gene products via retrograde signaling from the organelle to the nucleus. In addition, antioxidant capacity is improved, affording greater protection against oxidative stress. In contrast, chronic disuse conditions produce similar signaling but result in decrements in mitochondrial quality and content. Thus, the interactive cross-talk of the regulatory networks that control organelle turnover during wide variations in muscle use and disuse remain incompletely understood, despite our improving knowledge of the traditional regulators of organelle content and function. This brief review acknowledges existing regulatory networks and summarizes recent discoveries of novel biological pathways involved in determining organelle biogenesis, dynamics, mitophagy, protein quality control and antioxidant capacity, identifying ample protein targets for therapeutic intervention that determine muscle and mitochondrial health.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpcell.00065.2022
Biometals. 2022 Apr 02.

The synthesis and properties of mitochondrial targeted iron chelators.

Agostino Cilibrizzi, Charareh Pourzand, Vincenzo Abbate, Olivier Reelfs, Laura Versari, Giuseppe Floresta, Robert Hider.

  Iron levels in mitochondria are critically important for the normal functioning of the organelle. Abnormal levels of iron and the associated formation of toxic oxygen radicals have been linked to a wide range of diseases and consequently it is important to be able to both monitor and control levels of the mitochondrial labile iron pool. To this end a series of iron chelators which are targeted to mitochondria have been designed. This overview describes the synthesis of some of these molecules and their application in monitoring mitochondrial labile iron pools and in selectively removing excess iron from mitochondria.

Keywords:  Chelator synthesis; Iron chelation; Iron-probe; Mitochondria

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/s10534-022-00383-8
J Cell Physiol. 2022 Mar 27.

Mitochondria-actin cytoskeleton crosstalk in cell migration.

Tarun Yadav, David Gau, Partha Roy.

  Mitochondria perform diverse functions in the cell and their roles during processes such as cell survival, differentiation, and migration are increasingly being appreciated. Mitochondrial and actin cytoskeletal networks not only interact with each other, but this multifaceted interaction shapes their functional dynamics. The interrelation between mitochondria and the actin cytoskeleton extends far beyond the requirement of mitochondrial ATP generation to power actin dynamics, and impinges upon several major aspects of cellular physiology. Being situated at the hub of cell signaling pathways, mitochondrial function can alter the activity of actin regulatory proteins and therefore modulate the processes downstream of actin dynamics such as cellular migration. As we will discuss, this regulation is highly nuanced and operates at multiple levels allowing mitochondria to occupy a strategic position in the regulation of migration, as well as pathological events that rely on aberrant cell motility such as cancer metastasis. In this review, we summarize the crosstalk that exists between mitochondria and actin regulatory proteins, and further emphasize on how this interaction holds importance in cell migration in normal as well as dysregulated scenarios as in cancer.

Keywords:  actin; actin-binding proteins; cancer; cell migration; dynamics; mitochondria

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1002/jcp.30729
J Hematol Oncol. 2022 Mar 28. 15(1): 38

Rewiring mitochondrial metabolism to counteract exhaustion of CAR-T cells.

Yue Huang, Xiaohui Si, Mi Shao, Xinyi Teng, Gang Xiao, He Huang.

  Short persistence and early exhaustion of T cells are major limits to the efficacy and broad application of immunotherapy. Exhausted T and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells upregulate expression of genes associated with terminated T cell differentiation, aerobic glycolysis and apoptosis. Among cell exhaustion characteristics, impaired mitochondrial function and dynamics are considered hallmarks. Here, we review the mitochondrial characteristics of exhausted T cells and particularly discuss different aspects of mitochondrial metabolism and plasticity. Furthermore, we propose a novel strategy of rewiring mitochondrial metabolism to emancipate T cells from exhaustion and of targeting mitochondrial plasticity to boost CAR-T cell therapy efficacy.

Keywords:  CAR-T cell exhaustion; Metabolism; Mitochondria; Single-cell techniques

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1186/s13045-022-01255-x
Nat Commun. 2022 Mar 28. 13(1): 1644

Genome-wide association studies of metabolites in Finnish men identify disease-relevant loci.

FinnGen

Few studies have explored the impact of rare variants (minor allele frequency < 1%) on highly heritable plasma metabolites identified in metabolomic screens. The Finnish population provides an ideal opportunity for such explorations, given the multiple bottlenecks and expansions that have shaped its history, and the enrichment for many otherwise rare alleles that has resulted. Here, we report genetic associations for 1391 plasma metabolites in 6136 men from the late-settlement region of Finland. We identify 303 novel association signals, more than one third at variants rare or enriched in Finns. Many of these signals identify genes not previously implicated in metabolite genome-wide association studies and suggest mechanisms for diseases and disease-related traits.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-29143-5
Nat Biotechnol. 2022 Mar 28.

Accelerated identification of disease-causing variants with ultra-rapid nanopore genome sequencing.

Sneha D Goenka, John E Gorzynski, Kishwar Shafin, Dianna G Fisk, Trevor Pesout, Tanner D Jensen, Jean Monlong, Pi-Chuan Chang, Gunjan Baid, Jonathan A Bernstein, Jeffrey W Christle, Karen P Dalton, Daniel R Garalde, Megan E Grove, Joseph Guillory, Alexey Kolesnikov, Maria Nattestad, Maura R Z Ruzhnikov, Mehrzad Samadi, Ankit Sethia, Elizabeth Spiteri, Christopher J Wright, Katherine Xiong, Tong Zhu, Miten Jain, Fritz J Sedlazeck, Andrew Carroll, Benedict Paten, Euan A Ashley.

Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) can identify variants that cause genetic disease, but the time required for sequencing and analysis has been a barrier to its use in acutely ill patients. In the present study, we develop an approach for ultra-rapid nanopore WGS that combines an optimized sample preparation protocol, distributing sequencing over 48 flow cells, near real-time base calling and alignment, accelerated variant calling and fast variant filtration for efficient manual review. Application to two example clinical cases identified a candidate variant in <8 h from sample preparation to variant identification. We show that this framework provides accurate variant calls and efficient prioritization, and accelerates diagnostic clinical genome sequencing twofold compared with previous approaches.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41587-022-01221-5
Methods Mol Biol. 2022 ;2488 159-181

Discrete Logic Modeling of Cell Signaling Pathways.

Nensi Ikonomi, Silke D Werle, Julian D Schwab, Hans A Kestler.

  Cell signaling pathways often crosstalk generating complex biological behaviors observed in different cellular contexts. Frequently, laboratory experiments focus on a few putative regulators, alone unable to predict the molecular mechanisms behind the observed phenotypes. Here, systems biology complements these approaches by giving a holistic picture to complex signaling crosstalk. In particular, Boolean network models are a meaningful tool to study large network behaviors and can cope with incomplete kinetic information. By introducing a model describing pathways involved in hematopoietic stem cell maintenance, we present a general approach on how to model cell signaling pathways with Boolean network models.

Keywords:  Boolean networks; Discrete logics; Dynamic modeling; External stimulation; Hematopoietic stem cell; Long-term behavior; Niche induced homeostasis; Pathway prediction; Qualitative model; Signaling cascades

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-2277-3_12
Mol Metab. 2022 Mar 25. pii: S2212-8778(22)00050-3. [Epub ahead of print] 101481

Organelle transporters and inter-organelle communication as drivers of metabolic regulation and cellular homeostasis.

Aakriti Jain, Roberto Zoncu.

  Spatial compartmentalization of metabolic pathways within membrane-separated organelles is key to the ability of eukaryotic cells to precisely regulate their biochemical functions. Membrane-bound organelles such as mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and lysosomes enable the concentration of metabolic precursors within optimized chemical environments, greatly accelerating the efficiency of both anabolic and catabolic reactions, enabling division of labor and optimal utilization of resources. However, metabolic compartmentalization also poses a challenge to cells because it creates spatial discontinuities that must be bridged for reaction cascades to be connected and completed. To do so, cells employ different methods to coordinate metabolic fluxes occurring in different organelles, such as membrane-localized transporters to facilitate regulated metabolite exchange between mitochondria and lysosomes, non-vesicular transport pathways via physical contact sites connecting the ER with both mitochondria and lysosomes, as well as localized regulatory signaling processes that coordinately regulate the activity of all these organelles. Effective communication among these systems is essential to cellular health and function, whereas disruption of inter-organelle communication is an emerging driver in a multitude of diseases, from cancer to neurodegeneration.

Keywords:  Contact sites; Lysosome; Metabolism; Mitochondria; Transporters; mTORC1

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molmet.2022.101481
Science. 2022 Apr;376(6588): 24-26

Rules all PIs should follow.

Name withheld

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abp9887
Front Genet. 2022 ;13 877538

Editorial: Metabolism and Epigenetics.

Carlos Sebastian, Joaquim S L Vong, Manasi K Mayekar, Krishna S Tummala, Indrabahadur Singh.



Keywords:  DNA; chromatin; development; disease; histone; metabolites

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fgene.2022.877538